Happy Birthday to me.

A Poem

This was shared in our neighborhood's Facebook group, and I wanted to share it and also save it for myself. It's pretty perfect.

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the base
There were daddies gone missing
with mom in his place
The stockings were hung, the care package sent
to a barracks, a warehouse or a dusty old tent

The kiddies were sleeping, like they always do
The spirit of Christmas is hers to pursue
She bakes for the classroom, she shops all alone
She makes Christmas special, she waits by the phone

or she packs up the car, heads out on her own
with kids and the dog she is headed for home
To share her burden with family so dear
She drives through the snow praying all roads stay clear

And what to her wondering eyes should appear?
Her sweetheart on skype to calm all her fears
A gift under the tree that he sent while she drove
Knowing the love that he took when he chose

So she smiles Christmas morning as the gifts get unwrapped
The ham's in the oven, the wine bottle tapped
But she feels to her core the empty chair in her sight
Merry Christmas my love, may you have a safe night. 

~Stacey Reynolds

Merry Christmas! A brief overview in pictures :-)

Christmas Eve we watched Polar Express and had hot chocolate.

Santa delivered a big girl bike like Halle's, just like she asked for. Needless to say, she was happy about it.

Mommy allowed her to eat chocolate with her breakfast....because it's Christmas, why not?!

This is love well-coordinated. Daddy on Skype, Grandaddy in charge of carrying Daddy around, Mommy in charge of the new bike, Mimi holding a camera.

Grammy popped in for a bit!

K got a stool with her name :-)

Blocks from Santa! (Precious coffee for Mommy...)

A grill like Daddy and Grandaddy's.

She also asked for a kitchen for Mimi's house from Santa. Such. a. hit.

Kennedy took a series of portraits.

And don't worry, we didn't forget to give Nutty a little Christmas love!

It was a great day.

SNOW and other festive fun!

We got to see snowflakes! That's really all it was...about 20 minutes of snowflakes. But it. was. exciting. So exciting that I got kiddo dressed as fast as humanly possible and we ran for it...she has no socks under those boots...and yes, that's my kid in the snow with no coat. It's NC...there are no guarantees that the snowflakes will stay around for such details!

It's on my cheek!

Whoa! Snow!

See? A coat.

Snowflakes in baby hair. Oh my happy heart....

Catch it on your tongue!

And following snow? FUDGE.

Post-nap time, we went to Aunt Barbara's and Uncle Ernie's house for our Christmas celebration with them. Kennedy wanted to wear a bow...for about 15 minutes total. It didnt' even make it into the car.

And no Eckert Christmas season would be complete without Grammy's Christmas cookies.

Helper.

Note that between cookie baking and cookie decorating, she got herself a cup of water from the fridge...and missed her mouth....

Concentration. Dedication.

And finally... can you find the festive problem in this picture?

Look carefully and you'll see that Kennedy has managed to sit on a sticky candy cane and it's completely stuck to her pajamas. 

Oh what a wonderful time of year!

At two...

Kennedy Grace

Andrew...

Ashley

Christmas Dress, the 2014 edition

2013....

2014!

She's SO FAST!

So she might be over the whole picture thing...

She's off again! This time it's to catch the train at the end of the driveway. Hurry! It's leaving for Mistletoe Mountain! (Anyone else watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?)

I know how it would go if I took K to the mall to visit Santa...the result wouldn't be pretty. So instead, I give you this year's picture with Santa :-)